With Covid-19 still very much present in our daily lives, The Foetal Ultrasounds French College (CFEF) and the French National College of Gynaecologists and Obstetricians (CNGOF) distributed a press release with valuable information and precautions. PRS Healthcare decided to pass on the information, as the battle against Covid-19 is far from over.
Basic instructions
The CFEF and the CNGOF have asked for fundamental instructions to be adopted such as the most recent ones given out by the French Public Healthcare, in addition to the usual regulations used in the medical field, especially in ultrasounds consulting rooms.
-Frequently washing your hands (water and soap or hand sanitizer).
-The use of disposable masks and gloves.
-After each passing of a patient, cleaning of examination bed, ultrasound scanner keyboard, exposed areas and ultrasound probes.
-Frequent disinfection of door handles, offices, chairs, computer keyboards.
Reinforced measures
After the transition to stage 3 of the pandemic at the end of March, a renewal of recommendations was established by the two Colleges.
-No accompanying pregnant people, whether it is in the consulting room or the waiting room.
-Putting in favour video consultations with the patient if necessary (pathology, specific analysis).
-Patients with flu symptoms/a fever/a cough must move their appointment to another date and not show up to the medical room (temperature will be taken if doubt).
Regarding these 3 measures, the press release specified the latter must be displayed at the entrance of the consulting room or at the ultrasound consult.
Informing in advance
In terms of obstetrical and fœtal ultrasounds, the CFEF and CNGOF believe it is necessary to inform patients as soon as possible, “as in as soon as an appointment is being made”. Other measures are also being set up.
-No more than a person at a time in the waiting room, with wait times as short as possible.
-Privileging waiting outside the consulting room and calling a few minutes before the examination.
-Each patient must wash their hands or use hand sanitizer before entering the consulting room.
-Masks for the practitioner, staff, and patients from the 3rd trimester of pregnancy (depending on available stock).
-Opening and closing doors of consulting room to avoid patients having to touch the door handles.
Managing situations on a case-by-case basis
Yet, despite the cautious measures put in place, the CFEF and the CNGOF found it necessary to enable a more individual treatment of a situation when necessary.
-Upholding of all emergency ultrasound scanners
-Rescheduling within at least 2 months all non-urgent gynaecological ultrasounds including fertility related ones. The ABM has instructed the stalling of embryo transfers and initiations to new stimulations cycles aimed at IAC or FIV.
-Upholding ultrasounds for: the first trimester between the 11th and 14th weeks of amenorrhea, the second trimester between the 20th and 25th weeks of amenorrhea and for the third trimester between the 30th and 35th weeks of amenorrhea.
-Upholding ultrasounds classified as a diagnostic or as a maternal-foetal pathology.
-For gemellary pregnancies, regular check-ups must be maintained up to every for weeks when it comes to a bichorial pregnancy and up to every two weeks for a monochorionic pregnancy.
